1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for cleaning paint residue from the walls of an enclosed chamber and providing for reclamation of the cleaning solution.
2. Description of The Related Art
Vehicle manufacturers are continuously striving to improve the process by which motor vehicles are assembled, in order to improve quality of the final product and at the same time reduce manufacturing costs. For instance, the typical method for painting a vehicle involves placing the vehicle in an enclosed chamber, typically called a paint booth, and spray painting the surface of the vehicle. As much as 40% of the paint used ends up as waste due to overspray, resulting in an accumulation of paint residue on the wall surfaces of the paint booth. A characteristic of paint commonly used on motor vehicles is that heat must be applied to cure the paint. As a result, the paint residue that collects on the walls of the paint booth typically is tacky. Periodic removal of the paint residue is necessary to prevent the buildup of paint, which tends to attract dirt that could become imbedded in the surface of the freshly painted vehicle.
In the past, removal of paint residue from the wall surfaces of the paint booth had been accomplished by filling a container with cleaning solution, dipping a scrub brush into the container and proceeding to wash the walls. This method is time consuming, and cleaning solution is wasted because it tends to drip from the scrub brush before use and also due to lack of a means for recovering the used cleaning solution.